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  New England Writers' Centre

2021 NEW ENGLAND THUNDERBOLT PRIZE

The New England Writers' Centre is proud to announce the winners and commended entries the 2021 New England Thunderbolt Prize for Crime Writing, with six prizes and commendations awarded to crime writers from all over Australia.
We extend our thanks to all the authors who submitted their work this year, to our wonderful judges who had the challenge of finding winners amongst so many terrific entries and to our sponsors who make it possible for the NEWC to continue to run this nationally recognised competition and awards.
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​Click on the links to find out more about the winning authors, read their submissions and the Judges' reports and bios.  Enjoy!
Press Release
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Winning Submissions
Judges' Reports & Bios
Meet the Winners - Author Bios

WINNERS

Fiction
"Reunion" ​by Wayne Strudwick
Sponsored by the New England Writers' Centre
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Non-Fiction
"The Kaarimba Horror" ​by David Vernon
Sponsored by the New England  Brewing Co.,
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Poetry
"The True Ballad of Hester Hosken" ​by Natalie Prior
Sponsored by the University of New England, Faculty of Humanities, Arts, Social Sciences and Education
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The New England Award
"Shatter" ​by Linda Brandon
Sponsored by Golden Orb Creative
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The Emerging Authors Award
"Crimes Against Humanity", Xavier Masson-Leach
Sponsored by  Burnet's Books ​
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The Youth Award
"The Ghost Train" by Isabelle Schubert
Sponsored by ADFAS Armidale
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​All entries were judged anonymously, and the New England Award and Emerging Author Awards were chosen based on final commendations across all categories. 

COMMENDED

Fiction
Highly commended:  "Men's Shed" by Scott Hoffman
Commended: "The Dead Girl" by Julianne Negri
Commended: "Not of the Sea" by Barry Divola

Non-Fiction
Highly Commended: "Dattilo's Vendetta" by Roger Vickery
Commended:  "Crimes Against Humanity", Xavier Masson-Leach (Winner, Emerging Authors Award).
Poetry
Highly commended:  "Neverland" by Jenny Blackford
Commended: "Monologue of a Boss" by Margaret Rucker

Youth 
Highly Commended:  "The Lockdown" by Finn Single
Commended:  "Wayne's Bread" by Joseph Daniel

Meet the Winners

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​Wayne Strudwick | Fiction

I grew up on a farm near Coonamble NSW and now live in Canberra with my wife and three children. I work as an optometrist and write short stories in my spare time. I've had a few stories published in magazines and anthologies. My novella 'The Dark Days of Matty Lang' is published by Finlay Lloyd.


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David Vernon | Non-Fiction
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​David Vernon is a writer, editor and publisher. In 2007 he won the non-fiction section of the ACT Writing and Publishing Awards with his book “Men at Birth.” This book, along with “Birth Stories” (Finch 2011) is now in its second edition.

​A keen short story writer his works have appeared in several anthologies and his non-fiction works on the ABC Website Unleashed, Sunday Life Magazine, The Australian Skeptic and The Canberra Times.
In 2010 he established the national short story competition “Stringybark Stories.” Since inception it has awarded over $30,000 in prizes and published over 1100 short stories in 39 paperbacks and 39 ebooks. Details can be found on the website: www.stringybarkstories.net  He has been fortunate to win a few short story competitions, including the Thunderbolt Prize for non-fiction in 2019 and then as runner up in 2020. He is the principal of Stringybark Publishing, a bespoke publisher that specializes in memoir, history and anthologies. See: www.stringybarkpublishing.com.au. David has served on the ACT Writers Centre Board since 2012 and was the Chair from 2014-19. ​

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Natalie Prior | Poetry

Natalie Jane Prior is the author of many favourite children’s books including the Lily Quench series, The Paw and most recently, the Naughty Dragons series. She co-edited (with Margaret Connolly) the children’s poetry anthology A Boat of Stars (ABC Books, 2018), which featured new poetry and artwork by many of Australia’s best known children’s authors and illustrators. Natalie lives in Brisbane with her family.


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Linda Brandon | New England Award

Linda Brandon is a writer living in northern NSW. Linda has twice been highly commended in the New England Thunderbolt Prize for Crime Writing and has been shortlisted for the Alan Marshall Short Story Award.

She has been highly commended in several Stringybark Stories short story competitions and published in the anthologies A Nice Boy (2017), Longing for Solitude (2016) and The Ghostly Stringybark (2015). 

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Xavier Masson-Leach | Emerging Author

​​Xavier Masson-Leach grew up in Armidale, NSW and comes from a family of creative people. He is a video producer and editor and has worked for a number of television production companies, arts organisations and non profits both in Australia and overseas. He is also married into an Iranian family whose incredible courage and resilience are the basis for this piece. He lives in Sydney with his beautiful wife and three year old daughter.

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Isabelle Schubert
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Isabelle Schubert is a 14-year-old home-schooler who loves books. She lives in a small, historic town in the Barossa Valley, South Australia. Last year she received a commendation in the New England Thunderbolt Prize for Crime Writing with a fictional story. She is a black belt in Kenpo Karate and likes writing, reading, sewing and history. She aspires to have a career as an author.

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We gratefully acknowledge the support of Create NSW and our other generous sponsors
We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the lands on which the New England Writers' Centre is situated and pay our respects to Aboriginal Elders past, present and emerging.
  • Home
  • Inside Story Workshop Series
  • Oliver Phommavanh
  • Story to Script Course
  • Dive into Worldbuilding
  • Thunderbolt Prize for Crime Writing
  • Illustration Prize for Children's Picture Book Publishing
  • Varuna-NEWC Fellowship
  • Poetry Walkabout
  • About
    • Our Board
    • Our Sponsors
  • Membership
  • Contact Us
  • 2022 Archive
    • 2022 Summer Micro Grants >
      • 2022 Summer micro grants_Mary McMillan >
        • 2022 Summer micro grants_Kerry Moran
    • 2022 Illustration Prize for children's picture book illustration
    • 2022 Thunderbolt winners >
      • 2022 Thunderbolt Prize winning submissions
      • 2022 Thunderbolt Prize Judges Reports
    • 2022 Varuna-NEWC Fellowship
  • 2021 Archive
    • 2021 Illustration Prize Winners
    • Varuna Fellowship 2021
    • Thunderbolt Prize 2021 >
      • Thunderbolt Prize 2021 Judges Reports
    • 2021 Summer Micro Grants >
      • 2021 Summer micro grants_Trish >
        • Beetle Hunt Stories
      • 2021 Summer micro grants_James
      • 2021 Summer Micro Grants_Fiona
  • 2020 Archive
    • Thunderbolt Prize 2020 >
      • Thunderbolt Prize 2020 Judges Reports
      • Thunderbolt Prize 2020_Winning submissions
    • Illustration Prize 2020 Winners
    • Varuna Fellowship 2020
    • 2020 Historical Novel Prize
  • Blog
  • Resources
    • Inside Story Book
    • By The Book video series
    • Stories Connect